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Specialty Hints
Specialty Hints
Specialty Hints
Specialty Hints

Helpful Hints for Making Specialty Items

Instructions for making a wide variety of specialty shapes from door swags to special instructions for making advent wreaths are featured here. Reviewing the instructions for wreath-making on the Ring Directions page is recommended. Contact us to learn more.

Clamp Door Swag

  1. Begin at bottom clip with long material
  2. Place shorter (8”) material in top clip.
  3. Finish by placing a “double-handful” in the middle clip to cover the top and bottom exposed clips. A bow may be placed over the last clip.

Clamp Advent Ring

  1. Advent rings are assembled in the same fashion as wreaths.
  2. Longer material (approximately 1” longer) is required in the clips preceding the candle holders. Longer material in these clips compensates for the wider spacing required for candle holders.

Clamp Candy Canes

  1. Start the candy cane at the “hook” end. Work around the hook until you reach the straight portion of the cane.
  2. Turn the frame around and begin working from the bottom back toward the hook.
  3. When you reach the last open clip, place a “double-handful” in this clip. A bow is fastened over this clip to finish the candy cane.

Clamp Christmas Tree

  1. Begin at the top of the tree frame and work down one side.
  2. Finish the other side of the tree from top to bottom.
  3. Once sides are complete work in from the ends on the base of the tree.

Clamp Heart  (not illustrated)

  1. Hearts are essentially assembled in the same manner as are round wreaths. Begin at the bottom of the heart point and work your way around the heart until you return to the bottom point. The last handful of materials will cover the stems from the first handful.
  2. The top of the heart may require some trimming to regain the heart shape.

Clamp Star

  1. Start at the end of one tip and work toward the center.
  2. Finish this tip by placing boughs along opposite sides of the tip working from the end toward the center.
  3. Finish remaining tips in a similar manner.
  4. Finish the star by making a wreath around the center of the frame.

Arches, Horizontal Swags and Mantels  (not illustrated)

  1. Many specialty shapes, such as arches, mantels and horizontal swags are assembled in a similar fashion. First, one clip must be selected as the preferred place for a bow. Often this is the center, but sometimes the bow is offset from the center.
  2. Materials are placed in clips working toward the “bow clip.”
  3. The “bow clip” is the last clip to be filled. Fill with a “double-handful.” A bow is placed over this clip to finish the frame.

Clamp Mail Box Frame

  1. Start at one end. Work toward middle, leaving mid clip open. It is important to use shorter boughs on middle-most clips so boughs lay flat when the frame is bent around the mail box. Longer boughs may be used on outermost clips.
  2. Turn the frame around and repeat at the opposite end.
  3. Finish the frame by placing a “double-handful” in the last clip.
  4. Bow or another decoration is placed over the last clip to finish.

Clamp Grave Blanket

  1. Place boughs in top-most clip and work toward center.
  2. Repeat for bottom half.
  3. Place handful of boughs in one “center rail clip” to cover exposed ends at mid frame.
  4. Repeat for opposite side.
  5. Place a large bow over center of frame to complete.